02 February 2018

SIGAR Report Claims US Withholding Critical Information by The Virginian

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) was established to promote greater accountability of the taxpayer's dollars being spent in Afghanistan. That they are saying the military is keeping information from the public that would illustrate the resurgence of Taliban (and other) insurgent elements deserves attention. Afghanistan's fate will not be determined by the US / West.

**********

A new report released on Monday states the US military is keeping information from the public that gauges the war in Afghanistan and gains made by insurgents.

The US Defense Department has restricted data on population figures and on what areas are held by either government or insurgents, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in a report released on Tuesday.

“The number of districts controlled or influenced by the Afghan government had been one of the last remaining publicly available indicators for members of Congress ... and for the American public of how the 16-year-long US effort to secure Afghanistan is faring,” John Sopko, the special inspector general, said in the report.

This however is the first time that SIGAR has been instructed not to release unclassified information in one of its quarterly reports, Sopko said, adding that the information will instead be included in an annex unavailable to the public.

The report stated that SIGAR was not given any justification for the new restrictions.

The SIGAR report stated that the “worrisome development” follows an increase of insurgent control or influence in Afghanistan.

As such, the non-disclosure of information was of particular concern, SIGAR reported.

It also comes after several other measures for gauging the development and strength of Afghanistan’s security forces were blocked or restricted in the fall. Among them were casualty and attrition rates.

Comments

SIGAR Report Claims US Withholding Critical Information by The Virginian

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) was established to promote greater accountability of the taxpayer's dollars being spent in Afghanistan. That they are saying the military is keeping information from the public that would illustrate the resurgence of Taliban (and other) insurgent elements deserves attention. Afghanistan's fate will not be determined by the US / West.

**********

A new report released on Monday states the US military is keeping information from the public that gauges the war in Afghanistan and gains made by insurgents.

The US Defense Department has restricted data on population figures and on what areas are held by either government or insurgents, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in a report released on Tuesday.

“The number of districts controlled or influenced by the Afghan government had been one of the last remaining publicly available indicators for members of Congress ... and for the American public of how the 16-year-long US effort to secure Afghanistan is faring,” John Sopko, the special inspector general, said in the report.

This however is the first time that SIGAR has been instructed not to release unclassified information in one of its quarterly reports, Sopko said, adding that the information will instead be included in an annex unavailable to the public.

The report stated that SIGAR was not given any justification for the new restrictions.

The SIGAR report stated that the “worrisome development” follows an increase of insurgent control or influence in Afghanistan.

As such, the non-disclosure of information was of particular concern, SIGAR reported.

It also comes after several other measures for gauging the development and strength of Afghanistan’s security forces were blocked or restricted in the fall. Among them were casualty and attrition rates.